Worcester's snowfall for today, starting at 12:01 a.m. this morning, was 14.9 inches, breaking a record that had been in place for 72 years.

Worcester came in today with 22.8 inches (grand total),” National Weather Service meteorologist Charles Foley said. “Worcester also set a daily record for snowfall” — with its 14.9 inches, he added.

The previous record was nine inches. That was set in 1941. Snowfall records in Worcester have been kept since 1892, Mr. Foley said.

“It wasn't that it was a big storm. It was a large, area-wide storm that just kind of meandered right off the southern New England coast,” Mr. Foley said. “It was a longduration storm. Because it was such a long-duration storm, we had snow amounts in some locations of 20-plus inches. So it was basically a three-day storm.”

Boston/Logan also had a record snowfall today with 10.2 inches, the NWS said. The previous record for Boston was 8 inches, also set in 1941.

The storm's challenges hit all of Worcester county — from the Connecticut line in the south to North County.

Mark A. Dufour has only slept two hours since Wednesday night and will keep going — on adrenaline, he says — until after midnight tonight plowing at Fitchburg State University.

Mr. Dufour owns Dufour Motor Sales on River Street in Fitchburg and also subcontracts with the city and FSU for plowing. His employees call him “The Plow Guy.”

“I've been doing it for 30 years. I work all winter for that to enjoy summer,” he said, pointing toward a photo of his 30-foot Boston Whaler docked in the Merrimack River named MAD One (after his initials).

“You have to be mad to do this,” he joked.

Snowstorms are just par for the course for Mr. Dufour. It takes about a half a day for his employees to clean off and move the 26 vehicles he has for sale. He also has around 18 private plowing contracts.

“They were talking 3 to 6 inches and we got 15 to 16 inches,” he said. “It was a long drawn-out event that caught a lot of people off guard. The DPW still has a lot of guys out now (at 4 p.m.).”

Tonight, after he finishes at the college, he said he'll finally get some rest. “Once you get to a certain point, the lack of sleep doesn't affect you,” he said. “Besides, on Sunday it's going to be 48 degrees. This is New England. If you don't like that weather, wait a minute.”

In Westminster, at the Depot General Store, clerk Denise M. LeBlanc was busy selling lottery tickets, beer and lots of snacks.

“Since the snow stopped it has really picked up,” she said.

She said she loves the snow. Before work, she went snowboarding at Wachusett Mountain with her 15-year-old son.

Jerry Collins from Winchendon was picking up some beer after work at his maintenance job in Fitchburg. He is a cross-country skier and said he, too, likes the snow. “But, I didn't expect this much,” Mr. Collins said. “It's the weekend, though. We can all deal with it.”

Burke D. McClellan, also from Winchendon, was picking up a couple of beers after work as a welder at Fitchburg Welding.

He said his drive in this morning wouldn't have been too bad if it wasn't for the other drivers.

“I got stuck behind people who don't know how to drive,” Mr. McClellan said. “People driving in 4-wheel-drive Subarus were going 20 miles per hour and I have a two-wheel-drive and did 40 the whole way. I think Subaru drivers are terrorists.”

He said the snow doesn't really faze him. He pays someone to plow and makes his 16 and 19-year-old sons shovel for him.

“I'll have to shovel at work tomorrow, but I'll get some fresh air and get to smoke while I'm out there.”

In Sutton, Route 146 north was closed after a tractor-trailer truck jackknifed and struck a car, blocking all three lanes. No one was injured in the 1:30 p.m. crash.

Route 146 was closed for more than an hour and traffic was being detoured off the highway. One lane was later opened, and all lanes were flowing by 4 p.m., according to state police.

Contact Paula Owen at powen@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @PaulaOwenTG.

Parking bans are in effect in Worcester and Webster. The Fitchburg parking ban was lifted at 7 tonight.

The Worcester Regional Transit Authority is on a snow route schedule. More info at www.therta.com.

Trash collection in Worcester that was scheduled for today will take place Saturday. Residents who left their trash out this morning are urged to bring it in, to avoid having it taken away by plows.

The Worcester Public Library is closed this morning. In will open at 1 p.m.

Dudley Town Hall is closed.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles has canceled road tests at its branches in Worcester, Southbridge, Milford and Leominster.

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